[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1639 Engrossed in House (EH)]

H. Res. 1639

                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                    September 28, 2010.
Whereas the Corps of Engineers (Corps) is the Nation's premier water resources 
        agency, charged by the Congress with responsibility over its 3 principal 
        mission areas of navigation, flood damage reduction, and environmental 
        restoration;
Whereas the Corps is responsible for the maintenance of more than 11,000 miles 
        of channels in 41 States for commercial navigation, the operation of 
        locks at 230 individual sites, the maintenance of over 300 deep-draft 
        commercial harbors and over 600 shallow-draft, coastal, and inland 
        harbors, and the maintenance of over 8,500 miles of flood damage 
        reduction structures, including levees;
Whereas the vast array of navigation and flood damage reduction infrastructure 
        is important to the security and vitality of the Nation's economy and 
        overall prosperity;
Whereas the Corps' environmental restoration mission seeks to achieve 
        environmental sustainability, to promote balance and synergy among human 
        development activities and natural systems, and to maintain a healthy, 
        diverse, and sustainable condition necessary to support life;
Whereas the authorization for critical navigation, flood damage reduction, 
        environmental restoration, and other water-related projects and studies 
        carried out by the Corps is typically included in a water resources 
        development act;
Whereas throughout the Corps' history, water resources development acts have 
        provided the Corps with the authority to carry out nationally 
        significant projects that have improved the economic prosperity of the 
        Nation, have protected its citizenry from the threat of flooding and 
        coastal storms, and have put in place environmental restoration efforts 
        for many of the Nation's national treasures;
Whereas it is the tradition of the House of Representatives to consider a water 
        resources development act in every Congress to address current and 
        future needs for water-related projects and policy changes, including 
        the historic override of a Presidential veto of the Water Resources 
        Development Act of 2007 (Public Law 110-114);
Whereas continued and increased investment in the Nation's water-related 
        infrastructure is essential for meeting the critical navigation, flood 
        damage reduction, environmental restoration, and other water-related 
        needs of the Nation, as well as to ensure the economic security and 
        quality of life of American families;
Whereas the National Waterways Conference was established in 1960 to advocate 
        before the Congress for ``common-sense water resources policies that 
        maximize the economic and environmental value'' of the Nation's inland, 
        coastal, and Great Lakes waterways;
Whereas the Conference supports continued congressional attention in meeting the 
        Nation's water-related needs, including navigation, flood damage 
        reduction and risk management, environmental protection and restoration, 
        hydroelectric power, recreation, and water supply;
Whereas the Conference is guided by the purpose of promoting a better 
        understanding of the public value of the United States waterways system 
        and to document the importance of farsighted navigation and water 
        resources policies to a vibrant economy, industrial and agricultural 
        productivity, regional development, environmental quality, energy 
        conservation, international trade, defense preparedness, and the overall 
        national interest;
Whereas the Conference strives to maintain a diverse membership that reflects 
        many of the uses of the Nation's waterways, including flood control 
        associations, levee boards, waterways shippers and carriers, industry 
        and regional associations, port authorities, shipyards, dredging 
        contractors, regional water districts, engineering consultants, and 
        local governments;
Whereas the Conference has been a consistent advocate for continued investment 
        in the Nation's water-related infrastructure, including its strong 
        support for robust appropriations for the Corps of Engineers' Civil 
        Works program;
Whereas the Conference serves as an effective national advocate for water 
        resources-related policy and law; and
Whereas the Conference recognizes that regular authorization of a water 
        resources development act is ``essential to our nation's environmental 
        well-being and our economic vitality'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the value of the Corps of Engineers and its civil 
        works mission to the economic prosperity and sustainable environmental 
        health of the Nation;
            (2) recognizes the contributions of the National Waterways 
        Conference in the formulation of the Nation's water resources-related 
        policies and programs for the Corps' civil works mission and its 
        advocacy for continued and increased investment in meeting the water 
        resource needs of the Nation; and
            (3) commends the National Waterways Conference on the occasion of 
        its 50th anniversary.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.